Ryan Smolarsky ’23 came to Hamilton knowing he wanted to major in physics. But he was also interested in pre-med. “While bio, chem, and neuro are more streamlined with the pre-med requirements, physics is fascinating to me, and I have a strong interest in how things work at the most fundamental level,” he said.
So, at Hamilton, he explored how those two interests could intersect.
“I’m interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon, and studying mechanics and dynamics allowed me to frame the musculoskeletal system in my mind differently than I previously had,” Smolarsky said. “Studying thermodynamics gave me a deeper understanding of why biochemical reactions happen in a cell. The list of intersections between physics and medicine goes on and on, and each time I discovered a new intersection, I found it fascinating and it just reinforced my decision to major in physics while being pre-med.”
Smolarsky said his faculty advisor, physics professor Gordon Jones, helped him ensure that he was making good progress toward the completion of his degree. “[Jones] also helped me explore potential paths that combined both physics and medicine,” Smolarsky said.
Another mentor was Leslie Bell, a previous director of Hamilton’s Health Professions Advising program. Smolarsky said that she “helped me carve out a four-year plan as a physics major, discussed with me what I should be pursuing outside of my classes for professional development, and really helped me figure out what my overall plan through Hamilton should concretely look like.”
For Smolarsky, who received the College’s James Soper Merrill Prize this year at Class and Charter Day, those outside interests included earning his certification and volunteering as an EMT with the Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He minored in math and music, served as a physics student mentor, and, through Stony Brook Hospital, was a contributing author and researcher on two papers on cardiovascular surgery. This summer, he’ll present his Stony Brook team’s research at the Vascular Annual Meeting 2023 in Maryland.
After a gap year, Smolarsky plans to conduct further research before heading to medical school.
